Coach Tom Izzo says Kearney came back from Christmas break and told him he was going to try to find a place where he could play a larger role. Kearney says in a statement that he wishes his teammates the best and hes thankful for his opportunity with the Spartans.

The 6-foot-5 Kearney is averaging 2.3 points per game and 16.9 minutes in 2012-13. The 19th-ranked Spartans play at Minnesota on Monday.